Hidden Feelings - A Draco Malfoy Love Story

Chapter Thirteen

A/N This chapter is a little shorter than I would have liked, but it's more of a filler. I'm planning on skipping ahead to the end of the school year to get things moving...there should only be one or two chapters left until the fourth book!

"Are you sure you'll be okay from here?" Mother asks. I nod.

"I know you have to hurry, I don't want to keep you," I say.

"Okay, thank you dear. I love you!" She quickly pulls me into her arms, and I hug her back, waiting for her to say something that ruins the moment. "Write me how everything is going, alright? You're worrying me."

I bite my lip, pasting a smile on my face as she pulls away. "Of course, Mother."

"Okay, bye! Love you!"

"I love you too."

I watch her rush toward the exit before turning around. I push my trunk forward, stepping through the wall in between the platforms. I smile when I see the Hogwarts Express; it will be a relief to be back.

I load my trunk and get onto the train. I find an empty compartment and step inside, pulling out the book Mother had given me for Christmas. I open it to the page I have marked, which is almost at the end already. The mysterious ring is still on my hand, and I can't help but once again wonder who would get this as my eyes land on it.

Just as the train begins to move, the compartment door slides open. I jump a little, frowning at the girl before me.

"Who are you?" she asks snottily, raising an eyebrow. I gulp a little, hoping she can't notice my fear. The green on her robes tells me everything I need to know about her.

"Elizabeth. Medlor," I say quietly, closing my book.

A smile spreads over her face, one that is all but friendly. "You're the Gryffindor Draco keeps talking about."

"He talks about me?" I ask before I can stop myself. I close my mouth before I can blurt anything else out to this obviously obnoxious girl.

"Don't get your hopes up, idiot," she snickers. "He talks about how easy it is to make you upset. Says you're like a...a...oh, what did he call you?"

She suddenly turns her head, her smirk growing.

"Oh, look who it is! Perfect timing, Draco," she giggles.

"What are you doing, Pansy?" His voice makes me feel even more scared, for I have no idea how he's going to act right now. When his face comes into view, looking into my compartment, I see his glare and want to run. However, his face...softens.

"This is her, yeah? Frenchie?" she asks.

"Leave her alone," he says, not taking his eyes off of me.

"What?" Her eyes narrow, her lips parted in surprise.

"Leave her alone," he repeats, shooting a glare at her. She shoots a look of anger at me before walking away. I don't know what to think as I look up at him.

"What-what was that?" I mutter.

"You're welcome," he says, his voice holding no sympathy or care. "She's more annoying than I am."

I see his eyes flicker down at my hands for a moment. He then turns around and leaves, shutting the door behind him.

I glance down as well. The only thing I can see that he would have noticed is the ring.

I gasp.

It couldn't have been him. Why would he send a ring to you?

I'm so shocked that all I can do is lean back and stare at the ceiling of the train. I refuse to believe it. Why would he, of all people, get me something like this?

He didn't, I tell myself. There's no way, no possible way that he would do anything nice for me.

After a long, tiring trip filled with thoughts about the ring, I'm walking into the Great Hall, my eyes searching the Gryffindor table for my friends. I first see Ron, who has jumped out of his seat to wave wildly at me. I wave back, a smile spreading over my face as I hurry over to them.

"How was everyone's holiday?" I ask as I take my spot next to Hermione, quickly hugging her.

"Good question, Elizabeth." Ron lets out a humorless laugh. "Harry here got a firebolt."

"You got a firebolt?" I gasp, turning to him. I may not love quidditch, but I know the significance of this broom. He nods, but he looks anything but happy about it. "Who got you a firebolt?"

"There wasn't a name," Hermione spits out. "It could have been cursed, right?"

"She turned it into McGonagall!" Ron cries out. "She turned in the best broom in the world to a professor. Isn't that insane?!"

Without another word, Hermione stands up and walks away. I shoot a glare at the boys, standing up.

"She just cares about your safety!" I tell them, my eyes narrowing. They don't hide their fear from the look on my face, and I don't blame them; I've only given dirty looks to Malfoy, so to have someone like me staring them down has to be a shock. "I would have done the same thing. She's right. You need to be careful when an escaped Azkaban prisoner is hunting you down, believe it or not."

I quickly run out of the Great Hall, not knowing where Hermione could have gone. I go to the nearest girls' bathroom, throwing the door open.

"Hermione?" I call out, succeeding in startling a first year girl who is washing her hands. "I'm sorry. Have you seen a girl who's my age? Curly brown hair?"

"No, I'm sorry," she says. "I did see her run past though, when someone was leaving."

"Thank you so much," I sigh, smiling at the girl before leaving. I decide with the direction she went that she's going to the Gryffindor tower, presumably to our room.

Sure enough, minutes later, I step into our dorm to see her curled up in her bed with a book.

"Are you alright?" I ask softly, wincing after the words escape my mouth. "That was a stupid question. Sorry."

"Don't be," she says, smiling weakly over at me. She sets a bookmark on the page before closing the book, setting it beside her. "Thanks for following me."

"There's no need to thank me," I assure her, walking over to sit on the edge of her bed. "I had to, didn't I? I couldn't just sit and talk to those awful boys after that."

She laughs softly. "Oh, they are awful."

"And trust me, Hermione, they aren't really mad at you," I say. "They're mad that Harry doesn't get his broom right away. It won't take McGonagall long to check it over, and they know it."

"Then why were they so upset at me?" she questions.

"Because they know that you're right," I chuckle, making her grin. "They know that you care. They would do the same for you, if they had the brains."

She laughs again. "Thank you, Elizabeth. You're a really great friend, you know that?"

I smile. "Thank you."

"I worry that I annoy people," she tells me, biting her lip. "Because I follow the rules...too much."

"If you annoy anyone by following the rules, then they're stupid," I say. "There's nothing wrong with it. There is something wrong with breaking the rules, however, depending on the reason. And what you did, you were just looking out for them. There's nothing to be ashamed of for wanting your friends to be safe."

"I hope you know that our group...we never really are safe." She frowns a little. "Every year, there's a new problem, and Harry almost gets himself killed."

I feel fear hit me as she says this. "And...you and Ron?"

She nods slowly. "Don't feel like you have to stick with us, Elizabeth, when something goes wrong again. Because it will."

"I'll stay with you," I tell her. "I'll fight."

She smiles. "Really? I didn't think you'd want to get involved."

I smile back.

"I am a Gryffindor, after all."